You know an era has passed when the devices that used to torture you suddenly become valuable icons.

For example, typewriters are much in the literary news these days, what with Cormac McCarthy’s old Olivetti fetching a cool quarter million dollars (interesting note: instead of going digital, McCarthy continues to write on a typewriter).

Naturally, I began to wonder what – after I became famous – I could sell to my legions of fans for an obscenely high price.

Sadly, absolutely nothing leaps to mind; my original typewriter is long gone, my 128K Mac lasted about as long as anything which ran on a Macintosh power supply (not long), and I refuse to save my broken-down office chair simply because the imprint of my butt might someday be valuable.

Then there’s the little matter of fame, which I haven’t accumulated and won’t, so you might say I’ve solved the problem, and in the most direct way possible.

Still, if you harbor any hope of one day seeing yourself on the cover of The Rolling Stone, start squirreling away your eccentric/period writer’s gear now, though what that might be in the digital era isn’t entirely clear.

Why not operate like presidents when they sign major legislation? They employ several pens over the course of one signature, so make sure you go through several keyboards over the course of your first novel, thereby multiplying your return.

Or just sell the keys from the keyboard one at a time (vowels go for more than the consonants…).

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the underground

For almost 30 years I've worked as a writer (most of it freelance). I'm also the father of two perfect little girls.

Despite these things, I remain mostly sane.

The Underground reflects my interest in all kinds of writing and all kinds of writers (though if you're looking for SEO advice, you're probably in the wrong place).